This update on the Every Student Succeeds Act and the education plans now being refined by state legislatures is produced in partnership with ESSA Essentials, a new series from the Collaborative for Student Success. It鈥檚 an offshoot of their聽聽newsletter, which you can聽! (See our recent ESSA updates聽from previous weeks right here.)
The House Education and the Workforce Committee held a hearing at which both Republican and Democratic lawmakers 鈥� concern about the consistency of feedback from the U.S. Department of Education to states about聽ESSA plans.鈥�
Committee chairwoman Virginia Foxx stated that the committee 鈥渨ill be watching to ensure that Washington keeps its distance鈥� from state plans, and she 鈥渟tressed that the new federal education law was only a part of what state and local school leaders had to deal with.鈥�
On the Democratic side, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware 鈥� which faced some of the harshest criticism from the Department of Education 鈥� consistency and clarity would help 鈥減eople to be able to do their jobs better鈥� and would foster better outcomes. Oregon Rep. Suzanne Bonamici was more blunt, saying that 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we should be surprised there has been uncertainty and confusion鈥� and that 鈥渨hat we really need is for the department to play a reliable role.鈥�
Here are the week鈥檚 other top developments:
1. Results for America scans state plans for use of evidence 鈥� and finds mixed results
Results for America, a group dedicated to using data and evidence to solve world problems, has the 17 ESSA plans submitted to the Department of Education to examine how states are using 鈥渆vidence, evaluation, and continuous improvement鈥� opportunities. The results? A mixed bag. The group was encouraged by states鈥� efforts to improve student outcomes, but it also noted several 鈥済aps that deserve further attention.鈥�
Results for America found that 16 states included at least one promising practice for building and using evidence to improve student outcomes. They gave eight states kudos for including the largest number of noteworthy practices: New Mexico, Connecticut, Tennessee, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Colorado, and Oregon.
Others didn鈥檛 fare so well. Only four states emphasize the role of evidence-based approaches outside of school improvement (e.g., ESSA Title II and Title IV). Five states pledge to conduct evaluations to build the evidence base further. And only nine states highlight the use of evidence when reviewing and approving school improvement funding applications.
Looking for more information on what鈥檚 in the state plans? Visit .
2. Michigan isn鈥檛 happy with the department鈥檚 feedback
Secretary Betsy DeVos鈥檚 home state isn鈥檛 happy with the feedback her Department of Education has provided on Michigan鈥檚 ESSA plan. State Superintendent Brian J. Whiston has accused the federal agency of 鈥渟ending some conflicting signals when it comes to the Every Student Succeeds Act.鈥� Whiston that 鈥渢he message he鈥檚 heard from DeVos has been all about state leadership and leeway鈥� but that he鈥檚 hearing a different tune from Acting Assistant Secretary of Education Jason Botel.
This isn鈥檛 the first time the department has been criticized for its feedback to states. Sen. Lamar Alexander . And states such as and have shared their frustration.
3. Montana gets more ambitious
The Office of Public Instruction the state鈥檚 draft ESSA plan, with a public comment period that runs through August. The plan 鈥渃alls for a 4 percent increase in math and English proficiency for all students in each of the next several school years鈥� and charges schools with closing the achievement gap. that the latest version of the plan released under State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen calls for greater improvement goals that the one put out by her predecessor, Denise Juneau, and includes college and career readiness as a state indicator.
4. Suspensions and fewer test days in New York
The state Education Department an updated version of the state鈥檚 draft ESSA plan. It 鈥渋ncludes proposals to use out-of-school suspensions as a measure of school quality and student success beginning in 2018鈥�19; to cut down math and English language arts testing requirements for third- through eighth-graders from three days to two (something the Board of Regents already has voted on); and to revise benchmarks for schools educating English language learners.鈥� New York鈥檚 plan is now with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has 30 days to review it.
5. Ohio uses chronic absenteeism, cuts n-size in half
The Ohio State School Board unanimously a final ESSA accountability plan. After receiving on its initial draft, the updated version includes cuts to standardized testing and an indicator for chronic absenteeism; it also reduces from 30 to 15 the state鈥檚 n-size, or number of students in a particular group necessary to determine whether the district is meeting their needs over time. Gov. John Kasich has 30 days to review the plan.
6. Oklahoma鈥檚 third at bat
The state Department of Education the third draft of its ESSA plan for public comment, which runs until July 30. This new version focuses on chronic absenteeism as a non-academic indicator, lays out interventions for low-performing schools, and includes 鈥渕ore rigorous evidence-based interventions like instructional leadership development, school calendar requirements and school improvement teams for chronically underperforming schools.鈥�
Every Student Succeeds Act: 50-State Roll Call
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